Albert
by Emperor of Performances
Summary: Albert dies unexpectedly from a heart attack and leaves behind his possessions for his family. Now the Loud family must deal with the death of their beloved grandfather as they cherish what he has left while slowly understanding the past of their late Pop-pop and the life he had lived.
1. To Remember a Time Lost

**This story has been in my head for awhile now and I thought it was time to write it. The Loud House fandom has done something truly amazing, you've incorporated these very dark and sad ideas in a very lighted hearted show. It would not be uncommon to see a story where someone dies or gets killed in this fandom. It's common place and I love it for that! It's just so unbelievably good! You guys make such amazing content that I wanted to take my hand in writing something like this.**

 **I really want to thank UnderratedHero and their story 'Requiem for a Loud.' That story has been a major inspiration for me and I really just want to thank Hero for making something so amazing.**

 **I do not own the Loud House.**

* * *

The Sunset Canyon Retirement Home was more of a comfy prison than a retirement home. This was mostly to do with Sunset's warden, Sue. Despite the fact she was supposed to take care of the elderly, she treated them more as her prisoners. Every single activity had a very strict set of restrictions, much to the complaints of the residents.

Most found these rules to be unfair, including the other nurses. Most, however, were too scared to stand up to Sue out of fear for their lives. Best to let her do her thing unless one wanted to get yelled at by the most violent nurse in history.

But Sue was still human. Disease and injury effected her like everybody else, no matter how much she was compared to the likes of a demon. So, when Sue had broken her leg a few weeks ago, it was needless to say that every nurse and resident broke every damn rule she had.

"You've got nothing on me, Seymour!" Albert laughed as he hit the ball over the net. Bernie let out a laugh as they say Seymour splay water everywhere as he tried to hit the ball.

"That's what you think, Albert!" Seymour made it just in time to hit the ball. It went over the net, going too fast for either Albert and Bernie to try to hit it. Water drenched the two men as the ball splashed on the liquid surface.

"Point to Seymour's team!" A nurse declared as she blew the whistle. "It's getting late so we're going to wrap this up. Seymour's team wins buy 15 points!" Seymour and Scoots high fived each other while Albert and Bernie groaned. Various cheers and boos from the other residents filled the area.

Nothing beat a good water polo game late at night. It was one of the many things Sue wouldn't allow, often with the flimsy excuse that someone would break their back or something playing it. Any and all games would be cut off immediately before they had even begun.

But with her gone, it was water polo games every night. Starting from 5 in the afternoon to 11 at night with one hour games. Albert and the gang were the ones who played the most, their games so heated and drawing out so much excitement, no one would be ashamed to admit it was like the Olympics.

"Looks like we won this time again, huh?" Scoots chuckled as the opposing team dried themselves out.

"Just wait until tomorrow." Bernie smiled, showing an impressive row of pearly whites. "We're going to get you guys good! Right, Albert?"

Albert couldn't hear his friend, he was too preoccupied by the tightness on his neck. It was starting to kill him, despite the number of times he tried to massage it. His fingers tenderly glided through the skin of his neck, applying pressure to the tight areas in some desperate hope for comfort.

"Albert, you okay?" Scoots questioned, she gave him a worried look that mirrored the other two men's faces.

"What?" Albert asked as he stopped messaging his neck. "Oh, yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just dealing with some neck pain."

"Probably from all those times you and Bernie tried to figure out where the ball was heading," Scoots joked, but her voice was a little uneasy.

"You're probably right," Albert smiled as he tried to straighten himself up. It only proceeded in enraging his neck more, but he powered through the pain.

"You should probably get some rest," Bernie suggested as he put a hand on Albert's shoulder. Always helps me when I've got a bad neck."

"I got a special pillow you could use?" Seymour offered.

"Nah, it's fine," Albert insisted. "I just need some rest and I'll be good as new."

The pain seemed to have subsided for a bit as Albert left his friends. As he made his way to his room, Albert was starting to feel some shortness of breath. He started to feel his neck pain again as well, however it wasn't as intense as before.

'I've got to stop over working myself,' Albert thought as he walked though the corridor. As much as Albert hated to admit it, he was an aging man. His body just couldn't handle some of the stuff he used to do when he was younger. Stuff like this would happen to him more often he wasn't careful.

A smile appeared on the old man's face as he thought about his only grandson. He'd definitely object to that statement and try to prove it to his grandfather by taking him surfing or something. Albert loved Lincoln enough to go along with those plans. Anything to see his grandson happy, after all.

Albert let out an internal chuckle. He might be old, but he wasn't done for the count yet! His body was still fit, despite what the pot belly told people. Sure he would be out of breath here and there from the various activities he would engage himself in, but that didn't mean anything. People didn't use to call him 'Devil Al' for nothing. If it wasn't for his hotheadedness, it was for his taste in the extreme.

Anything fun and/or dangerous made him feel young again. It brought his old self back again. That daredevil that would punch a shark just because he felt like it.

If he did any of that now Rita would just scold him for it later, saying something along the lines that he should be more careful. That he was in his late 60's and shouldn't be going to such crazy lengths.

Albert's thoughts ended as he was greeted to his little bland room. No decoration or ornament gave it that 'Albert' feel. It was devoid of any actual life, just like its previous recipient. It was more of a coffin than a room, a prelude to Sunset Valley resident's eventual resting spot.

His eyes landed on a picture that sat atop the dresser next to his bed. The colors were dull compared to modern photos, a reflection of what colored photos looked like at the time. It was also slightly wrinkled and torn, its age being further apparent.

But it did its purpose well. The figure appearing from it was still visible. The woman eyes were still warm, but her blonde hair wasn't as vibrant and her skin looked almost completely white. The red dress that she had on was very dull in the picture, compared to how it looked when the picture was taken. Even the grassland in the background had been sullied. The only thing that seemed to be bright and colorful was the sapphire gemstone that hung on the necklace she wore.

Regardless of the picture, Julie Krieg still looked beautiful.

"Hello, sweetheart," Albert smiled as he looked at the photo of his wife. His heart fluttered as he looked at it, time having done very little to take away her beauty in the photo. He had other pictures of her, but he liked this one the best. It was a photo he had personally taken of her during an unusually gentle day.

He let out a sigh as the memories fluttered his brain. Julie standing there smiling at him with that small grin on her face. The smell of grass filling their nostrils as a pleasant alien odor invaded them. The sun's rays touching their skin for there was no cloud that dared block it.

It was a peaceful memory. Simple in nature, but sweet. It made them him feel like there was more to come in that little relationship of theirs.

Sadly cancer took her too quickly from him.

Albert banished those thoughts from his head. He already knew the story, he didn't need a retelling. He couldn't afford to look so deep in the past, unless he wished to be stuck there.

The old man sat on his bed as he started to feel lightheaded. He felt more pain from his neck and instantly went to messaging it. It felt like it was getting worse, like his body wanted to torture him for some crime.

Had his old pals seen him like this they'd certainly would've laughed, ribbing on him as friends do. Probably would've called them 'old timer' before Albert gave them a good punch to shut them up. Then they'd just laugh at that guy, forgetting Albert's aches with each crackle.

'Then he would punch me back and we'd all get wrapped up in some big fight.' Albert looked at the bleak white wall in front of him. In seconds it rippled like water, revealing a grand bar.

The bar had to be as big as a palace, but more of a lumberjack's palace. Wooden furniture was scattered across the entire display, giant tables with dozens of chairs surrounding them like an army. Some chairs were left on their own as some individuals wished to drink alone. The beheaded animals on the walls kept guard of the patrons with their blank eyes. Bartenders served drinks at their counters while waiters and waitress gave food to hungry stomachs. A fire roared in the fire place, it's position in the center giving a sweet light that clashed with the light of the light bulbs.

Countless conversations surrounded the place as people either laughed, complained, or let out some drunk gibberish. The smell of booze and wood was intoxicating, for the week it was enough to make someone pass out. For the regulars, it felt like home.

Albert found himself sitting on a stool. He was still in his swimsuit, but no one seemed to mind. They paid him no attention, offered him no drink. He was just nothing observing a memory.

His eyes landed on the overzealous youth in the center of the bar. They were loud, most were drunk, and they looked ready to pass out from their parting. Yet they kept up the façade of life as they through a couple cups here and there while continuing their party. They were an accumulation of blonds, brunets, and black haired men, each wearing some oddly colorful outfit that was considered 'fashionable' during that time period.

Albert's eyes immediately landed on the oddest of the bunch, the one who stood out the most. The man he was looking at had unusual short white hair combed to the side. His sober eyes were a deep brown, piercing everything he looked at with joy. He wore a buttoned black shirt that was tucked under his jeans. Brown shows were proudly worn as one stood on a chair like it was some land the man had just conquered.

Albert may not have been as drunk as the rest of the rosy cheeked men around him, but he sure looked like it.

Albert let out something of an embarrassed chuckle. His younger self surly made a fool of himself, screaming at the top of his lungs like he was mad. The other inhabitants of the bar gave them no mind, either too drunk or too caught up in their own groups to bother.

Well ,maybe not all of the bar goers.

"Hey, can you guys stop that!" A young hippie shouted. He gave the group an annoyed look as stood next to the roaring fire with a black haired female hippie. Shards of broken glass lay between their feet. "You're going to hit us with one of those bottles some day!"

"We'll keep that in mind next time, Andy!" Albert said as he gave the hippie a bastard of a smile. "Next time we'll try aiming for your head! That'll put ya to sleep and then you won't be bothered by it!"

The other men around him laughed their heads off. While Albert meant his words in good jest, Andy didn't seem to get the message. He and his girlfriend left the bar, giving the group of men some glares while doing so. Probably to that old school van of his.

Older Albert let out a shameful sigh. He really was an ass back then. A part of him just wanted to go back and time and just beat the crap out of his younger self so that he would act a lot more respectable. However, regarding his former selves rather hot headed personality, he would've just ended up trying to beat the crap out of him in revenge.

"Yesh, what is that guy's problem?" Albert asked his friends.

"Probably can't take a joke," said a blonde man with an afro.

"Shame he snagged that hot babe," said a black haired man.

"Yeah, how does a girl like that date a damn hippie?" Albert questioned. The others let out a roaring laugh the vibrated across the entire room.

Andy was always getting the bad end of stick when ever Albert's group got drunk. The fact he was a hippie, took their jokes seriously, and drove in a hideous van did him no favors. He would always lash out at them in some shape or form, which was ironic.

"If only he knew this would come back to bite him in the butt," Albert mused. Had he known he'd be seeing Andy again for the next couple decades he would've been kinder to him. Especially considering Andy's habit of holding a very long grudge. God knows he should've been more careful than to have given him that bottle all those decades later.

The other man paid the hippie no other thought, going back to their hurricane of laughter and jokes. They drank their alcohol like pirates after acquiring a large quantity of treasure. Guzzling it down like mad men, unafraid if they were to accidently choke on it.

"Hey, Albert," one of the men said, nudging his friend gently with his elbow. "Look who's behind you~!"

Albert turned around while his friends all snickered like little school children. He saw nothing, but planks of wood that greeted him with the left over drops of alcohol. His comrades however continued to snicker at him, passing around a joke like the children they are.

Older Albert couldn't help himself, but laugh along with his old friends. The event that was soon to follow was amusing.

"Okay you rat bastards," Albert hissed. "What's the big idea?"

"A rat bastard? Seriously, Albert?" The man all erupted out in laughter as Albert jumped in freight. He clutched his shirt like he was about to have a heart attack while his older self laughed at his reaction. The woman in front of Albert had to do her best to keep her smile contained, her own amusement threatening to join those around her.

"Yesh, Julie, I got to start putting a bell on you!" Albert's nerves calmed down slightly as he saw his girlfriend.

Older Albert couldn't help, but feel a small tug in his heart as he saw his deceased wife. He had forgotten how beautiful she had looked in her younger years. She had a sweet youthful glow, despite the grey skin, that made her seem lively. Her eyes had that spark of danger and excitement that came with the thrill of youth. The sapphire gemstone she wore was in contrast with the purple shirt and dull blue jeans she was wearing, allowing one's eyes to land on it and stay on it.

"A bell?" Julie raised an eye brow at the mention of the audacious thought. "Instead of giving me a cows gift maybe you should give me a necklace?"

"That's not what I meant." Albert did his best to ignore the new round of laughter coming from his friends.

"I'm just saying. I don't always like seeing you completely drunk whenever I come here, Albert. You tend to say stupid things when you're drunk."

"Hey, I'm not that drunk!" Albert gave his girlfriend a little smirk. "Besides, if you stopped scaring me like that then maybe I wouldn't need to put a bell on you!"

"What? It's fun." Julie couldn't keep her smile contained anymore, instead she let it be free.

"Not fun to me! You keep giving me heart attacks!" Albert roared, his voice having a playful tone to it.

"Maybe that's a good thing?"

Older Albert looked at the memory with a sad smile. Negative emotions filled him as he looked at the once happy event. The grand bar began to shift while the people around him began to ripple like water before disappearing back to his mind.

He was now back to his depressing room. The darkness of night giving it more of that feeling of sadness, as if ones entire outlook could be taken down with just entering the prison cell.

Albert looked back at the picture of his wife. The pain surrounding his body now much stronger than before. He could feel his breathing get tense a bit…and then it stopped for a moment. The pain had lessoned, allowing for a sweet release of relaxation. Albert felt his own muscles getting something of a message.

"Julie?" Albert looked at the picture and saw his wife sitting beside him, messaging his arm tenderly. She smiled at him with kindness. Her appearance was somewhat translucent, giving anything through it a slightly grey view.

"Yes, Albert?" She hummed.

The two looked at each other for a few moments. Grabbing the looks on each other's faces, trying to figure the situation out. Julie's smile faded as they continued staring, she now looked nervous and guilty.

The situation was immediately apparent.

"Julie….I-I can't yet," Albert muttered, trying to find the right words. "What about Rita? Our grandchildren? I-I just can't."

"Albert, they will be fine," Julie pleaded, her form flickering in and out of existence. It made Albert wonder if here were losing his mind or if this was actually happening.

"How can you tell?" His eyes were desperate, the pain was starting to increase.

"I watch over them sometimes. I see what happens in their day to day lives. Sometimes I talk to Lucy." She stroked his cheek tenderly, yet he didn't feel the touch. "Rita has found a comfortable life with a good family, they will be okay."

Albert laid speechless before her. His wife's expression was comforting, but it did little to deal with Albert's fears. The tightness of his chest was starting to increase as his general discomfort drove him to a cold sweat.

"Albert," she spoke her words soft, doing her best to try to sooth her husband's unease. "the living can't see the dead unless…unless it's already inevitable."

Albert let out a sigh as the pain in his chest skyrocketed. So this was his fate? No turning back? Nothing to prevent it?

Was he really about to die?

His mind went back to his last visit with his family. It was about a month ago. He had spent time playing with each of his grandchildren, enjoying their various activities or talking to them about their lives. They always looked so happy to see him. Always, _always_ so happy to see him.

His thoughts shifted to his daughter, the only family he had for so long. He remembered when she first brought Lynn over, when she got married, when she told him she was pregnant with her first child. He did his best to raise her into the woman she was now. The thought of leaving her was almost unthinkable.

But maybe she would be all right? She had Lynn and her children. They were her family. Bigger and better than the one she had before. The pain would lessen for her? It wouldn't be as hard for her?

Albert looked back at the ghost, only to see the picture instead. Where had she gone? He looked around for the woman, but found no traces left.

"It doesn't matter," Albert smiled as he picked up the picture and stared at it. "We will be together soon, and…and that's all that matters."

Kissing the photo one last time, Albert closed his eyes. He hugged it next to his chest as he laid on his bed, the pillow greeting his head. An iron maiden encased his heart, torturing it with the best of its abilities. His breathing became ragged as Albert accepted his fate. His final thoughts on his family and on his wife.

Albert drew a final breath, his body relaxed as his worries left him.

* * *

 **And that's that. I hope you guys like this story and enjoyed reading it. I plan on updating this probable once every two weeks to a month. Just read it, enjoy it, and love it as much as I do. Send me your reviews and constructive criticism as much as you want!**


	2. Bad News

**I just want to thank all of you for your reviews! They meant so much. I'm glad you guys like the story.**

 **I do not own the Loud House.**

* * *

The Loud House was very rarely empty. There was always at least five of the house's thirteen occupants in any given time. Having the house to oneself and getting some alone time was scarce. If the opportunity was to ever occur, it is immediately taken advantage of.

Which was exactly what Lynn Loud Sr. was doing.

The patriarch of the Loud family was enjoying the silence in grand style. His feet rested atop the living room table as the couch dealt with his back. The rare nectar of beer was held firmly by his hand, sipping it occasionally as he enjoyed a nice game of baseball from the T.V.

Lynn Sr. did not get much to enjoy the simple pleasure of life like enjoying a nice bottle of beer or watching a good game. The kids always needed him for something so have a drink meant getting back to it once it's nice and warm. T.V. was also out of the picture most of the time. Everyone wanted to watch their favorite show and God help the poor fool who tried to take that away.

Which was why Lynn was going to milk this until there was nothing left. Most of his kids had to deal with the various activities they had planned for the weekend, be it going to the mall, hanging out with a friend, or just doing something outside the house. Even better was the fact that Rita was nowhere to be seen. She'd be too busy running errands. She was probably going to be gone for hours!

"Looks like everything's coming up Loud," Lynn Sr. hummed as he took a sip from the bottle.

No one should make a statement like that unless they _wanted_ their serene moment to be ruined.

Lynn's peaceful mood was soon disturbed by the ringing of the home phone. The man let out a sigh as he got out of his comfortable position and made his way over to the damned device. He let out silent prayers hoping that it wasn't Leni mistaking their home number for the beauty salon again. Honestly that happened far too many times already to be considered funny anymore.

Just have to roll the dice and find out.

"Hello?" Lynn Sr. put the device next to his ear. He could hear very faint soft breathing from the other end.

"Uh, hello?" The caller asked nervously. "I-is this the…uh… Loud residence?"

"Yes, this is the Loud residence," Lynn responded, raising an eyebrow. "Is there something that you need?"

"Uh…yes." The caller seemed nervous, their breathing growing heavier with each second. "I work for Sunset Canyon Retirement Home. C-can I please speak with a Ms. Rita Loud? It concerns her father, Albert Krieg."

"Albert?" Lynn's eyes widened at the declaration. "Rita isn't here right now, but I'm her husband. Did something happen to Albert?"

An uncomfortable silence grew between Lynn and the other line. Mutters of 'This is never easy' and 'Why did I have to do this' came into his ears. Everything was becoming faint in those moments, all sound dying as Lynn Sr. hoped he wouldn't hear the words he expected to hear.

Fate was hardly ever that kind though.

"Mr. Loud…your father-in-law died of a heart attack last night."

There it was. Those awful words had been said. Fate had played its cruel game again. It decides to have fun with people, messing with their lives. It offered no relief. No simple days without conflict. Just constant punishment, laughing as the results play before it.

"We had just recently discovered the body of your father-in-law. Mr. Krieg normally liked to go for a walk after having an early breakfast, often times coming back before or during lunch. However we noticed that he hadn't come back yet so we decided to check his room…and that's where we discovered the body."

Lynn Sr. was about to drop the phone right there. His imagination ran wild as he thought about how does events would take place. People just going about their normal day, completely unaware of Albert's corpse. Just enjoying their days on a bright sunny day while his body quickly corroded. Maybe it had already turned to dust by the time they found it?

"The body is still here and…we need to know what funeral home to contact so that they can take Mr. Krieg. Do you have any idea which one that may be?"

It was kind of funny how that question was asked just after declaring his father-in-law's death. It was so blunt and straight to the point. It knocked Lynn out of his train of thought, being forced to answer the question while hearing the slight taps of pencil hitting paper from the other end.

"Thank you, Mr. Loud. I'm sorry… for having dropped this news on you so suddenly, but I do say this earnestly when I say that I'm sorry for your loss. Please…take care."

Lynn put the phone back as he made his way to the couch. He turned off the game for it was now giving him a nasty headache. He took some joy in the sudden silence that surrounded him, needing it to process the poison he had just consumed.

Sighing, in a manner that proved his relation to Lucy, he took out his cell phone. He looked through his contacts before finding his target. The device rang gently as Lynn Sr. awaited the voice of the caller on the other end. After a couple more moments he got an answer.

"Hello?" Rita said on the other end. "Lynn, I'm kind of busy right now. Do you need something?"

* * *

Lincoln had to finally pause the game after his phone let out several more buzzes after the first couple minutes. His friends looked at him curiously as he took out his phone.

"Is everything alright, Lincoln?" Clyde asked as he put down his controller.

"I'm not sure," Lincoln said, an unsure tone in his voice, "my dad just sent me and my sisters a lot of texts."

"Is it serious?" Rusty asked.

Lincoln shrugged as he read through the various texts from his dad and sisters:

 _Dad: Kids come home now_

 _Dad: I'm calling a family emergency right now_

 _Dad: Stop whatever you're doing and get home_

 _Lucy: But why Dad?_

 _Leni: Yeah, like, I'm trying to shop for some cute shoes :(_

 _Lana: Yeah, I'm knee deep in mud right now_

 _Dad: ENOUGH WITH THE COMPLAINING!_

 _Dad: COME HOME NOW OR ELSE ALL OF YOU WILL BE GROUNDED_

Lincoln flinched as he imagined his dad yelling in the last message. Something serious must have really happened for his father to have sent a message like that. His friends looked at him in worry as Lincoln put his phone away.

"Yeah, I think it's pretty serious. My Dad is never that angry when he texts," Lincoln said.

"Did he say what it was?" Liam asked.

"Not really, he just said that we had to come home now." Lincoln rubbed the back of his head tenderly, feeling uncomfortable with the conversation.

"Do you need a ride? You can take my bike." Clyde gave his friend a concerned look.

"Nah, I'll just walk there. I'm sure it's not as big of a deal as my Dad might think," Lincoln said as he made his way to the door. He only offered a quick bye as he left the McBride's house.

Thoughts raced across Lincoln's mind as he pondered on the various events that could've happened to start this family emergency. Did somebody get into an accident? Did something happen to the house? Did something happen to the families already rough financial situation? Did something happened to his mom?

"Hey, Lincoln, wait up!" The boy was greeted by Luan. She looked like a complete mess. Her hair was disheveled and her clothes messy and wrinkled. There was sweat pouring down her face, colliding with the few strains of rebellious white face paint that refused to leave. He saw some big red shows pop out of her duffle bag.

"Did you run all the way here?"

"Yeah, but not before changing from my clown get up." She whipped away the sweat from her brow. "Do you know what's going on?"

"Not a clue."

Luan let out a little sigh. Saying nothing the two siblings continued their journey. As they grew closer to their destination they heard the faint wails of a crying woman. It did not take long for them to see that the sounds were coming from their own home.

"You…don't think that's mom do you?" Lincoln asked, his eyes asking for some kind of reassurance.

"Perhaps it's Lily?" Luan said, more for herself. It was obvious that it hadn't come from Lily. The crying was definitely deeper than the infants, but still feminine.

They tried to put their worries aside as they entered their home. Most of their siblings had already come, save for Lana, Lisa, and Lily. They all sat on the couch while their father was sitting on a chair from the dining room. Their mother was nowhere to be seen, her cries seemed to have originated from the bathroom.

"Luan. Lincoln." Their father gave them a joyless look, his words sounded grim and heavy. "You're finally here. Take a seat with your sisters on the couch. Lily is taking a nap and Lana and Lisa are just changing their clothes. I'll tell you the news when they get here."

"Um…sure dad," Luan said uncomfortably as she and Lincoln sat between Lucy and Lori. The two looked at their siblings, hoping to get some kind of answer, but were shot down with their puzzled looks.

Lincoln studied his father's demeanor. There was a new breed of seriousness in his face that Lincoln never knew he had. His eyes seemed so distant, his senses not completely here. He just seemed to look above, at the direction of the bathroom. Where his crying wife probably was. His eyes looked pained, it was clear that the instinct to go to her and comfort her was being suppressed with all his might.

All of this made Lincoln's heart race a bit. His father never acted like this. Ever. Even if the situation called on him to put his foot down or be a little stern he at least seemed like himself. The man sitting now was a new individual entirely.

Lori's hand squeezed Lincoln's shoulder in assurance. A kind smile was on her face, telling him everything was going to be all right. Lincoln touched her hand gently, using the elder guardians warm hand to ease his own fears.

"Lana, what happened?" Lynn Sr. asked as his younger daughter descended down the stairs. Lincoln took notice of her worried expression and the wet sleeves of her undershirt.

"I-I don't know," Lana said, "I just went to check on Lisa and I saw her crying!"

"Lisa was crying?" Lynn raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Lana nodded her head vigorously. "She kept muttering something, but I couldn't hear her. She…she just seemed so broken. I tried to calm her down, but she just went into a corner and I couldn't do anything else."

Lincoln listened to the explanation in disbelief. Lisa, mumbling and crying? That wasn't normal. Not normal at all.

They now all looked squarely at the patriarch of the house. They pleaded for answers now. Anything to try to help them figure out what was going on. But their father didn't seem to get their pleads.

"Such a smart girl." Was all that he muttered.

"Dad!" He looked at his eldest with a sudden surprise, as if he had forgotten she was there. "Tell us what's going on. Why's Mom crying? Why's Lisa crying?"

She rose to meet him at eye level and gave him a stern gaze. Lincoln and the others did the same as they rallied behind their general. Their father looked unfazed by the display. His face completely emotionless as he regarded his children.

"Kids," Lynn Sr. voice was gentle as he tried to form the right sentence, "something…happened to Pop-pop."

"Pop-pop?" Lincoln felt something build in his stomach. What had happened to Pop-pop?

"No…. no no no no no." Lori's once proud expression demolished, rebuilt with stones of horror and disbelief.

"Dad, please, don't say your next words," Leni begged, shaking slightly. Her features showed understanding that Lincoln thought Leni didn't have, but she seemed so aware. So heightened. So afraid.

What had happened to Pop-pop?

Wait….

Lincoln felt his dread fill his stomach.

"Pop-pop passed away from a heart attack last night," Lynn Sr.'s tears dripped from his eyes. His emotions killing the dead man that once walked.

"He's dead."

Reality abandoned him.

His eyes lost any perspective it had on the world. His vision blurred as Lincoln blinked profoundly. Each blink doing nothing, solving nothing.

His sister's cries came in two different speeds for his ears. Half sounded too fast. The other too slow. He was unable to breath.

Reality left him and all their remained was some kind of pressure.

All Lincoln could feel were his tears.

* * *

Rita looked out the window of the bathroom, night greeting her with a cold hello. Her throat burned from her crying, becoming irritable. She went to the sink, drinking any water that came down.

Slight knocks came from the door. She raised an eyebrow to it, but didn't bother to open it. She was neither in the right mental state nor had the strength to deal with anyone right now. Rita didn't want to be a good wife or mother, her family could just comfort themselves. Right now she just wanted to be Rita Krieg again.

She wanted to be alone.

"Rita?" Lynn soft voiced came from the other end. "Rita, are you alright?"

Rita would've screamed at Lynn if she could. Was her husband really asking her such a worthless question. Did she finally just figure out where Leni got her 'intelligence?' Of course she wasn't alright! Her father had just died!

"I called the… funeral home. They said the funeral should be around dusk tomorrow. Apparently Albert had everything planned out before." Lynn released a nervous chuckle. A crude hope of softening the mood.

Rita clenched her fists tightly. She kept her emotions in check, caging her sadness when the words 'funeral' came up. She just allowed her anger to form, all of it being directed at her husband. Anymore words like that and he would get a black eye.

A gulp could be heard from the other end. The soldier sounded tense as he prepared to enter the mine field.

"Sweetheart I know this is hard on you."

She narrowed her eyes on the door.

"Your probably don't want to deal with me."

Rita's teeth grinded together.

"I know Albert meant the world to you."

Rita's fists began to shake.

"Especially after your mother died."

Rita's rage stopped there. Her features softened as she opened her fists. Her eyes looked like they were ready for another section of crying.

"The kids aren't taking the news well. They're locked in their rooms crying. Barely touched their dinner."

Rita breathed heavily. She needed to keep her emotions under control. She needed to. She just needed to.

"Of course they're sad about Pop-pop. They just need some time to process this," Lynn sighed once more. If Rita could see his face she was sure he would be frowning. "Just know that I'm here for you. We can talk about this anytime you want. When you're ready."

Tears began to flow through her eyes again. Any control that Rita had was relinquished, Lynn's words destroying her horrible wall. She furiously wiped away any tears that flowed. She kept her mouth shut, no noise escaping her lips out of fear.

She opened the door and was greeted with nothing. No sad smile from her husband. No embrace of comfort. No sweet words that told her that everything was going to be all right.

Just nothing.

Nothing, but a plate of pizza and a glass of water.

* * *

 **I've been writing fan fiction longer than some of you guys think. I've read a lot of fan fiction in my time. A common problem I face is that I try to make each chapter longer than the last. Often times this leads to very worthless scenes, stuff that is utterly pointless to the story, and much more.**

 **As of now I'm not going to do that anymore. I find that it hurt my story tremendously and just makes everything bad beyond recognition. I hope you guys can be okay if these short chapters from time to time. I don't want to sacrifice quality for quantity.**

 **Hopefully you guys can understand. So please just read, review, enjoy, and send me your constructive criticism.**


End file.
